Who is…
Othniel
Hebrew: עָתְנִיאֵל —transliteration: Othniel —meaning: force of God / God is might (a hero in Israel) / lion of God
This is the name of two biblical men and occurs eight times in the Old Testament.
Othniel ben Kenaz
He is the first of the judges of the Israelites (Joshua 15:17-18).
The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel. When he went out to war, the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand, so that he prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. —Judges 3:10 NASB
“He is the only judge mentioned connected with the tribe of Judah. Under him the land had rest forty years.
He is the son of Kenaz, younger brother of Caleb (Judges 3:8-11).
His wife Achsah was the daughter of Caleb (Joshua 15:16,17; Judges 1:13). He gained her hand as a reward for his bravery in leading a successful expedition against Debir.
Some thirty years after the death of Joshua, the Israelites fell under the subjection of Chushan-rishathaim, the king of Mesopotamia. He oppressed them for full eight years, when they “cried” unto Jehovah, and Othniel was raised up to be their deliverer.” —Mathew G. Easton, Easton’s Bible Dictionary, with editing by Paul S. Taylor
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- What is a judge in Israel?
Othniel, ancestor of Heldai
This Othniel is an ancestor of Heldai, one of King David’s captains.
The twelfth for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite of Othniel; and in his division were 24,000. —1 Chronicles 27:15 NASB
A Netophathite is an inhabitant of Netophah (aka Netoph'ah, Netopha, Neophah).
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